to gossip / blaspheme
Loading your saved state.
to gossip about
To talk disparagingly or mockingly about a person who is absent. It has a strongly negative connotation and implies unfair or spiteful criticism.
Sie treffen sich nur, um über ihre Kollegen zu lästern.
They only meet up to gossip about their colleagues.
to blaspheme
In a religious context, it means to insult God or holy things or to speak about them with contempt. This meaning is rarer today and is often referred to as 'Gotteslästerung' (blasphemy).
Im Mittelalter wurde man dafür bestraft, den Namen Gottes zu lästern.
In the Middle Ages, people were punished for blaspheming the name of God.
When you speak badly about a person, you always use the preposition 'über' with the accusative. The structure is: lästern + über + person (accusative).
Ich mag es nicht, wenn Leute hinter ihrem Rücken über andere lästern.
I don't like it when people gossip about others behind their backs.
You can recognize the meaning from the topic. If people are speaking about persons such as colleagues, neighbors, or politicians, disparaging talk is meant. If it is about God or holy things, the religious meaning (Gotteslästerung, blasphemy) is meant.
Hör auf, über deine Mitschüler zu lästern!
Stop gossiping about your classmates!
'Lästern' is always negative. It does not simply describe talking about someone, but rather spiteful and unfair criticism of a person who is not present.
Es ist verletzend zu hören, dass Freunde über einen lästern.
It is hurtful to hear that friends are gossiping about you.
The religious meaning is rare today and is mostly used in a historical or theological context. In everyday language, the noun 'die Gotteslästerung' (blasphemy) is more common.
Galileo Galilei wurde damals der Gotteslästerung beschuldigt.
Galileo Galilei was accused of blasphemy at the time.
to insult
Beschimpfen and lästern can both express contemptuous words. Beschimpfen is directed directly at a person, while lästern in this sense expresses contempt for God or sacred things and has a religious character. Use beschimpfen for a personal attack and lästern when something sacred is being denigrated.
Der Mann lästerte vor der Kirche über Gott und heilige Dinge.
The man blasphemed against God and sacred things in front of the church.
Der Mann beschimpfte den Priester vor der Kirche laut und grob.
The man loudly and crudely insulted the priest in front of the church.
